Whirlwind
by Telaena
Summary: Post almost ascending Rodney recovers memories that were pushed deep into his subconscious. Who is the blonde that he keeps seeing? Why was he calling out the name Cora in his sleep? Rodney is left asking why me?
1. Chapter 1 - Awakened Memories

Rodney groaned as he opened his eyes. Talk about a hangover, the Ancient's really needed to label their experiments better that one was to close. He turned his head to see John in his usual chair, head on his chest as he slept. Rodney was fairly sure that chair had a permanent imprint of the Colonels ass.

"Back with us I see lad," Carson said coming up next to the bed and pulling the dreaded pen light from his pocket.

"Seriously that thing is just used to torture us isn't it? What can you really tell from looking in someone's eyes anyway? Bloody voodoo." Rodney complained in full McKay mode.

"Well you're obviously feeling better then." John said rubbing the stiffness out of his neck.

"Yes thank you for that observation Colonel crazy hair."

"What is it with you and my hair?"

Rodney just rolled his eyes as he sat up and got comfortable again. Carson made a few notes before smiling.

"It looks like you are in fact back to normal Rodney, although by all rights I should use one of my biggest needles on you for the voodoo comment." Carson gave him the look that always made Rodney want to cower under the bed.

"But you won't will you?"

"No lad," he began placing his hand on Rodney's shoulder and squeezing gently, "I'm just glad you're back with us." Rodney gave a small smile as Carson walked off. John sat forward expectantly starring at his friend.

"What?"

"Who's Cora?'

Rodney blinked at the Colonel as a face flashed before him.

"I don't know why?"

"You were calling for her in your sleep, sound like you trying to stop her from leaving." Rodney shook his head trying to think where he had heard the name before.

"Sounds vaguely familiar but I don't know a Cora."

"Whatever you say buddy. You don't want to tell me that's fine." John patted him on the shoulder before standing up and making his way out of the infirmary.

"Seriously I have no idea!" Rodney yelled after him glaring at the man's back.

Rodney was curled up on his bed reading one of the latest scientific journals to make it through the gate, scoffing at the ridiculous ideas people back on earth were getting paid for.

"Idiots," he muttered to himself before dropping the journal on the floor next to his bed and thinking the lights off. He got comfortable pulling the blanket up to his chin before letting out a content sigh and quickly drifting off to sleep.

_"Rodney stop it," she giggled as Rodney nuzzled her neck from behind, his hands reaching around to tug at the hem of her t-shirt. He slowly inched his hands up under the fabric and laid his hands on her stomach, caressing the slight bump that was forming._

_"I don't want to," he murmured nibbling along her neck as she tilted her head to the side giving him better access despite her arguing._

_"I thought you had work to do. Your thesis wont write itself you know."_

_"I'm already two months ahead of schedule," he began inching his hands further up to caress the skin just below her bra, "I have plenty of time to finish it and still have it in early." He pulled her back so her body was flush with his own and smile as she let out a small moan. _

_Rodney chuckled as she dropped the pieces of what appeared to be some sort of advanced tech that he was really not meant to be looking at, before spinning around and dragging him into a sizzling kiss. It was his turn to moan as her teeth grazed his lower lip. _

His brain stuttered for a moment, her teeth felt a lot sharper than they should. Part of Rodney's mind shrugged and told the other part to shut up and enjoy the dream.

_"You are going to be the death of me," she whispered pulling back and looking at him lovingly with bright green eyes, eyes that had no white and were a lot like a cats._

Rodney sat bolt upright in bed as he gasped out Cora's name. Suddenly bits and pieces of memory started coming back to him as he held his head in his hands and groaned as it felt like his head was splitting open. Another memory became perfectly clear and forced itself forward.

_"We can't do this Rodney." Cora yelled pacing between the coffee table and the couch. At this point she was obviously pregnant, easily seven to eight months and almost ready to pop at any moment._

_"Why not? Why can't we be together?"_

_"Do you have any idea what will happen when they find out this child is yours? Humans are not meant to know we exist Rodney, not without being cleared by the council first. I should never have told you!"_

_"What are they going to do Cora glare at me to death. People will notice if I go missing."_

_"Are you really that arrogant Rodney, you won't go missing, there will be an accident!"_

_"I'm willing to take that chance, we can keep this secret they don't need to know that I know." Rodney stepped around the couch and wrapped his arms around her._

_"I can't walk away from the two of you," he whispered flinching as her tail smacked into him in her agitation._

_"They won't just come after you Rodney." He pulled back and looked her in the face._

_"They will take her away," she said looking down at her stomach, "If they don't just kill her outright."_

_"What! Why would they kill her?"_

_"She may ask questions when she gets older, if they decide she is too big a risk they will get rid of her. Either way she will be taken from me and raised as an orphan, I will be either imprisoned or executed for treason."_

_"You've told me the laws they can't do that."_

_"The current council is paranoid of all its hunters Rodney, the slightest hint of any of us going rogue and they lock us down. I have power and political pull in both the human and non-human world they will think me too big a risk."_

_He thought for a moment pulling her closer, trying to be careful of the little one growing inside. Despite everything he smiled when he felt the baby kick, protesting being squished._

_"So what do we do? Not like they haven't noticed you're pregnant."_

_Cora bit her lip and looked uncomfortable._

_"What?"_

_"They wouldn't have a problem if you knew nothing about us."_

_"Ok, I can act."_

_"Rodney the minute they find out the little one if yours they will do a scan. You can't lie to a telepath."_

_"Then what…"_

_"I make you forget."_

_"What!"_

_"After I give birth I block all your memories of us."_

_"No! Absolutely not!" Rodney yelled as he started his pacing._

_"Rodney there is no other way."_

_"I can't lose you," whispered before leaving the room ignoring her calls._

He shook his head and made it to the bathroom turning the shower on nice and hot trying to calm his ragged breathing. He got in and leant against the wall as another memory washed over him.

_Cora lay on the bed, sweat pouring off her as she gritted her teeth, wings fluttering as she rode out another contraction. Rodney hovered next to her with a cloth wiping her down now and again, She wouldn't let him hold her hand afraid she was going to break it, or maybe set him on fire._

_The midwife was murmuring reassurances to her in another language as she checked the progress. Suddenly after two hours it was time. Rodney kept talking not sure what he was saying until with a final scream/roar their little one was in the hands of the midwife. She fussed for a few moments while Rodney tried to get a look at the baby. He stopped when he realised Cora was trying to get his attention and quickly helped her get comfortable before the midwife place the baby bundled in a blanket in Cora's arms. She bowed low and left quietly with a smile on her face._

_Rodney sat on the edge of the bed and peaked over the blanket looking at the little red person._

_"It's a girl," Cora told him, unwrapping the blanket and checking fingers and toes. The little girl already had a head of dark red hair, as Cora pulled the blanket back further the tops of little wrinkled, featherless wings poking out form her back._

_"She looks like an old person." Rodney blurted out. He felt himself blush as Cora smiled at him._

_"So did you when you were born. It's a little squishy coming out." Cora laughed softly as she ran a finger over the little wings. It was then that the little girl opened her eyes. They were the same brilliant blue that Rodney had, cat slit like her mothers._

_"I wonder what colour they will be later," Rodney mused. He had heard that all babies were born with blue eyes._

_"She's only half human Rodney, we are born with the same eye colour we will have as adults."_

_"Oh." He starred into those blue eyes as their daughter starred back at him. Rodney was far from the hippy type but he could swear she was an old soul. A perfect little fist shot out trying to grasp his nose. Rodney's smile was so large he swore his face was going to split apart, but he didn't care._

_Cora manoeuvred the little one into his arms and he held her terrified he was going to drop her. He wasn't sure how long he sat there holding his little girl but eventually the midwife returned and gently took the girl from him smiling sadly as she walked out the room._

_Rodney made a noise annoyance as he reached out to take her back but was held back by Cora._

_"What are we going to call her?" he asked leaning over and giving her a kiss. _

_"Aella, it means whirlwind." Rodney rolls the name around in his mind a few times._

_"Aella, I like it."_

_Cora smiles sadly, similar to the smile the midwife had given him._

_"What's wrong?" She closed her eyes obviously trying to hold back tears. Rodney pulled her until her head rested in the crook of his neck and her wrapped his arms around her gently rocking her._

_"Ssshhh baby, ssshhh," he whispered again and again._

_"I'm sorry Rodney, I'm so sorry." She reached up and placed her hands on either side of his face. Before he could ask why she was sorry he felt the world go fuzzy._

_No! He shouted out in his mind as he felt himself beginning to forget. She held on tight as he tried to fight her off. Aella was the last thing he thought as the world went black._

Rodney jumped out of the shower and quickly dried off throwing on the first clothes he could find before running out of his room and down the hall to John's room. He walked right in, as usual John hadn't locked his door.

Rodney walked right up and started shaking John awake.

"What!" The colonel came awake instantly and nearly took Rodney's head off.

"For Christ sake McKay don't do that!" he yelled rubbing his eyes.

"What's the matter? We being invaded again?" John reached for his radio, but Rodney grabbed his hand.

"I know who Cora is!"

John just looked at him.

"Huh."

"You said I was calling out for Cora after the near death ascension thing. I remember who Cora is."

"Good for you buddy."

"John you don't understand the reason I didn't remember her was because the memories were locked away."

"What?" John asked, "Rodney seriously go back to bed you are making no sense."

"Cora Brand, I met her nearly eighteen years ago. We fell in love and then I accidently found out she wasn't human. We hide that I knew until she kinda got pregnant and then the Council wouldn't approve disclosing things to me but they didn't know that I already knew so after Aella was born she took my memories to stop them from killing me and taking Aella away."

"Rodney, breathe!" John yelled. Rodney took a deep breath and repeated himself more slowly.

"Buddy that sounds like a really out there story," John put up a hand to stop Rodney from defending himself, "But it is you we are talking about. If this shit was going to be real it would involve you." Rodney sighed in relief realising that John believed him.

"I'm guessing the whole nearly ascended thing undid whatever she did. I don't remember everything I keep getting flashes. I do remember us having the argument about erasing my memory and then I remember Aella being born and that was the last memory I have of them. I think that was when she did her thing with my brain… Oh my god I she could have caused brain damage, I could have forgotten a revolutionary proof that I discovered while with her, I could have…"

"Rodney, breathe." John said again as Rodney began to rant gesturing wildly almost hitting John and giving him a concussion.

"What do you want to do? I doubt she is in the phone book."

Rodney deflated.

"I don't know but I have a daughter and I want to find her."

"And this council? What do you think they will do?"

Rodney's shoulders drooped. "I don't know." He said quietly. If he went looking for Aella they might kill him, or Cora and then were would their daughter be.

"The council changes every fifteen years, this one might not be as paranoid."

"And how are you going to explain to everyone that your daughter, if you find her, isn't human and then what you going to bring her and Cora here?"

"One they can look human and two," he smacked John over the head, "Stop being so practical."

"Ow." John rubbed the back of his head.

"So…." John began getting himself out of bed and reaching for his pants, "What's her name?"

"Aella."


	2. Chapter 2 - Hi there

Don't own anything yadda yadda yadda. If I did Sam would get my foot up her rear and Rodney would get more of the spotlight... Please feel free to tell me what you think, even flames are welcome, I need something to keep the muse warm.

Rodney was ready to tear someone's head off by the time he got to Earth and now they were making him sit through some stupid meeting on the Ori. He understood the Milky Way had problems, but so did Pegasus and right he didn't care about either, he needed to find his daughter.

On Atlantis things hadn't gone very smoothly. Everyone but John, well maybe including John, had thought he was crazy. Some sort of side effect from nearly ascending or perhaps some sort of alien influence. Which technically was the case but not in the way they thought.

So it was much to everyone's amassment when Caldwell of all people came to his rescue. The Colonel had walked into the infirmary just as Carson and his merry bunch of vampires were about to run a third round of tests and told them there was nothing wrong.

Everyone just stared at him, Rodney included. He sighed and pulled out a picture handing it to Rodney.

"See anything familiar?" The picture was obviously one of those studio shots that families get taken. An absolutely stunning women with chocolate brown hair and eyes sat on a chair with a little blonde girl on her lap. Caldwell stood behind the chair, smiling of all things, there were four more girls in the photo of varying ages, the eldest looking to be early twenties. What Rodney noticed was around the neck of all the girls was an identical blue pendant. It was very similar to the one that Cora used to wear, except hers had been a dark red and silver.

Dr Weir snuck a peek over Rodney's shoulder.

"I didn't know you had a family Steven."

"You're not meant to. Dr McKay is most likely telling the truth, it is common practice for memories to be tampered with or blocked to protect their existence. Given the climate of sixteen years ago I am not surprised that the mother chose to make him forget." Caldwell smiled slightly as he took the photo back looking at it.

"God knows my wife threatens me with it every time I piss her off."

Rodney snorted and started pulling off the various cords that were attached to him.

"See not crazy, not a side effect. Now I'm going to Earth to go meet my daughter."

"That is already being arranged."

"What?" Rodney looked at Caldwell as if he grew another head.

"My eldest Iah works for the council, I already sent her a message to start looking, shouldn't be hard for her to find your daughter. Also since this has resulted in a disclosure of sorts, paperwork is being drawn up to protect you from prosecution and make sure that this doesn't get out any more than necessary. Dr Weir, you will be receiving confirmation soon enough that their existence is not to be shared with the rest of the SGC as they are currently in the process of beginning disclosure.

There are those within the United States government who are aware of their existence and they are trying to widen the net, but it has to be done slowly. They already work very closely with the commonwealth military and government."

"Who are they?"

"I'm sorry I can't divulge that as of yet."

Elizabeth looked more than just a little annoyed but wisely dropped it.

"I'll give it a week before doing anything, if the confirmation doesn't come through…"

"Understood."

So now here Rodney sat ignoring everything being said around him. Finally what seemed like an eternity later, Walter brought in a note to General Landry.

"Dr McKay, my apologies I didn't realise you had someone waiting for you topside. You are free to go." Rodney gave some sort of reply and bolted from the room. He made his way topside to find one of the girls from Caldwell's photo waiting for him.

She smiled widely as she stepped forward offering a gloved hand to Rodney to shake.

"Dr McKay?"

"Yes you must be Iah?"

"Yes I am, come on we have much to discuss and you must be hungry for some real food."

"I'd rather just get on with it honestly." Rodney replied as she lead him away from security and towards the car park.

"how'd you get in here anyway?"

Iah levelled a 'how do you think' look at him.

"Oh."

They got into the car and Iah handed him a folder before pulling out and heading away from the base.

"What's this?"

"Your daughter." Rodney tore the folder open to find documents and photo's.

"Aella Meredith Brand McKay. Born 15th of January 1990. She is currently residing in Western Australia for the holidays, spends her year between the Australian and Welsh training facilities and the Camerine School for Girl's just outside of Cardiff. Currently guardian is her uncle Jeffrey Brand. He's an agricultural contractor. They have a large farm in Western Australia."

"What happened to Cora?" he asked skimming the papers in front of him. Aella had certainly inherited his brains by the look of it, she was a perfect student, excelled at everything she put her mind to.

"I'm not sure, I lost track of her about five years ago, which is when Aella began attending Carmine and Jeffrey became her guardian. There is no death certificate but she just seemed to drop off the map. Also if she was missing I should have found something. Anything about her more recent that five years ago is hidden behind walls I don't have the codes for."

"So what, she's under cover or something?"

"Not likely, my access would have let me find some information, last trace of her was a mission. I can only assume something went wrong. Either she is in custody or in medical."

"Shit." Rodney muttered pulling out a picture of Cora and Aella. Aella looked to be about nine or ten in the photo, she was standing on the back of a horse smiling at Cora who was obviously not happy she was up there.

"I am arranging to have you taken to Australia, it's currently 4.30am there at the moment so I thought lunch would be a good idea while we wait. Corrin refuses to teleport anyone until he's had at least three cups of that tar he calls coffee."

"Thank you." Iah looked at him sideways and smiled.

"You know Dad said you were going to rude and annoying."

"What!" Rodney paused for a moment. "Well I am rude, but that's because I can't stand stupid people." Iah laughed as she pulled into what looked like a steak house.

"Well I'm not stupid so we should get along just fine. Come one I am hungry and before you start I know you are allergic to citrus and secondly mum's paying so order whatever the hell you want, I'm sure going to."

"Why?"

"Mum never gives me money."

"No why is she paying?"

"Something about the man who saved her mates life and she has a soft spot for grouchy arogent men who are really big softies on the inside, I think."

"Well she did end up mated to your father."

"Exactly!"

Rodney found that Iah was in fact not a complete idiot and they spent a pleasant two hours conversing over food until Iah received a call from Corrin saying he was ready. She drive him to the edge of the industrial area parking in front of a warehouse. They walked inside and found several people milling around, obviously waiting to go were ever they have to go. A man came up to her and confirmed they weren't followed and pointed to one side of the warehouse. Iah nodded politely to the man before walking over to where he indicated.

"Bout bloody time I don't have forever you know girl. This the mud monkey?"

Iah rolled her eyes.

"This is Dr McKay. I suggest you have some manners."

"McKay huh. You related to Aella?" Rodney looked between the two of them and nodded.

"Shit, well good to meet you mate." He shook Rodney's hand enthusiastically, "Let's get this show on the road, I'll take you straight the house. Aella should be up by now if not she I'll kick her lazy arse out of bed." Rodney looked at the man a little wide eyed as he grabbed Rodney by the shoulder and suddenly they were not in Colorado anymore.

Rodney stumbled for a moment, he had completely forgotten how weird that felt. Corrin clapped him on the back and walked straight to the front door of the large house, walking in. Rodney had a look around. The yard was filled sheds, trucks and other equipment. It obviously didn't rain much here, the ground was hard and dusty. He followed Corrin into the house trying to wipe the dust from his shoes before giving up.

He wondered a bit taking in the lounge room and study before he found the kitchen at the back. The smell of fresh coffee helped. He stood by the door hearing Corrin arguing with someone in another language. The guy seemed pissed. Rodney was guessing it was Jeffrey and that he hadn't been told Rodney was coming. Just great, Rodney thought. He sighed as he heard someone behind him. He turned quickly about to make apologies and swear he wasn't eavesdropping when he was met with two brilliant deep blue eyes.

"DAD?"


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys, finally got a third chapter up hope you like it. It is a little weird in some spots but hey we are getting to the good bits soon ;) Reviews and messages are appreciated, feel free to tell me what you liked and even what you hated...

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Rodney starred at his daughter. She no more than two inches shorter than him. Her eyes were the same brilliant blue as her father, even if they looked like a cats, and there was no doubting by her features that they were father and daughter. Her hair was a dark auburn colour that seemed to catch fire in sunlight. Rodney swore the only way to get that colour was from a box.

Aella was more soft angles, hard planes and wiry compared to her father's bulk. She blinked owlishly at him obviously having just gotten out of bed.

"Hi." Rodney offered lamely shoving his hands in his pockets.

"What… I mean you shouldn't… how?"

"Ancient technology."

Aella nodded her head in understanding before she stepped a little closer. She was looking at Rodney the same way he looked at a new piece of technology, like he was something to be taken apart and figured out. Suddenly Aella burst forward and wrapped her arms around him in a crushing hug. Hesitantly Rodney returned the hug as she tucked her face into his neck.

"Hi." Rodney huffed in amusement as she took a deep breath, breathing in his scent before rubbing her cheek against his and pulling back with a look of embarrassment.

Corrin came out from the kitchen with a big grin on his face.

"Well I'll leave you guys to it." He gave Aella a kiss on the cheek muttering something to her before he left the house whistling to himself.

"Aella," the other man started stepping forward.

"How rude of me," she began turning Rodney towards the kitchen, "Dad, this is Uncle Frank, Uncle Jeffrey's partner. Uncle Frank this Dr. Rodney McKay. Coffee?" she asked as she pushed him into the kitchen passed Frank and towards a chair.

"Sure." Aella went about making his coffee, getting it perfect, which freaked Rodney out a little. She then started to finish the breakfast that Frank had been making, pulling bacon from the pan before addingmore and putting on some toast.

"Wants some?"

"No thanks."

"Really?" she asked with a raised eyebrow waiving a piece of bacon in the air.

"I just had a big meal." She shrugged.

"Aella,"

"Hmmmm."

"He can't be here." Frank said giving Rodney an apologetic look.

"Of course he can."

"Your uncle gets back today Aella. You know how he is going to feel about your father being in his house."

"My house."

"It's _my_ house."

"That is not the point Aella."

"Well maybe I'm sick of being ordered around like a good little dog."

"Aella this is not the time to start another fight."

"I don't start fights Uncle Frank, but I am prepared to finish them. Now my dad is sitting at my kitchen table and I would like to spend some time with him."

Frank rolled his eyes and walked off tossing his hands in the air muttering to himself in their dialect.

Rodney suddenly realised that maybe his being here wasn't the best idea. He hadn't stopped to think of anything other than finding Aella, now he was here he had no idea what he was doing or the ramifications for her.

Aella levelled a knowing look at her father.

"Stop thinking so much, it's too early in the day to give me a headache."

Aella finished platting up and brought over a plate that might have easily had the largest pile of bacon for one person Rodney had ever seen. She waived some bacon at him but he shook his head.

"Really and hear I heard you always ate."

"I just had a big meal ask me again in two hours."

Aella tucked in as Rodney finished his coffee before getting up making another.

"I can't believe you are eating all of that," he said quickly leaning over and stealing a hash brown, ignoring the warning growl that rumbled from his daughter's chest. Cora used to make the same noise.

"And you like to live dangerously I see."

"I'm family you're not going to bite me." Aella huffed before pulling her plate closer as she took another bite.

"Oh I almost forgot," she started before leaning over and smacking in him in the back of the head.

"OW! What was that for?"

"My allergies and metabolism."

"Huh?"

"I'm allergic to citrus thanks to you and your hypoglycaemia translated into a ridiculously fast metabolism for me."

"Not my fault."

"Well who else am I going to blame?" she asked with smile.

"So any other allergies I need to know about?"

"Aspirin, Morphine, unprocessed mango and technically chocolate, but I've built a tolerance for that so I can eat some, just not often."

"Chocolate really? That sucks."

"Yep, why do you think I put up with the discomfort of building a tolerance?"

Aella finished up and rinsed her plate putting it in the dishwasher before she turned around and leant on the bench top looking a little lost.

"ummm."

"So how is school?" Rodney asked also a little awkward.

"Already one degree down, just started my second."

"Really I thought you went to some all girl's boarding school."

"I do, but I finished the high school level classes when I was thirteen so I study mostly via distance."

"What is your degree in?"

"Mathematics and Engineering from Cambridge." Rodney smiled instantly. He was so proud he could burst. His seventeen year old daughter had not only gone into a similar field to him but already had her first degree form one of the most prestigious universities on the planet.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I convinced them to let me do Engineering and astrophysics next."

"really?"

"Yeah really," she said with a smile.

"So that's the field you want to get into?"

"I can't work in the human field."

"What?"

"Most of what I am studying I already know and let me just say the holes are driving me nuts. I'm not allowed to work in those fields or publish in the wider community."

"So what are you going to do then?"

"Keep studying I suppose. I imagine I will have to serve my time at some point and there is a clan to run."

"You're just going waste your brain."

"No that is why I am going to keep studying." Suddenly a plan began to hatch in Rodney's brain, never a good thing.

"What if you could, work in the field would you?"

Aella gave him a level look.

"You mean the SGC don't you?"

"Maybe."

"Firstly they'd never allow it. Secondly it is one thing that some of the SGC know we exist but until disclosure there are none of us working with them for a very good reason."

"What about an international task force?"

"What are you talking about?"

"If I could swing it would you be willing to work with an international task force which yes does have ties to the SGC."

"If the council allows it."

"Good."

"Well I suppose I should be the good host and show you around the house." Rodney got up and followed her as she showed him the ground floor, which consisted of the lounge room, kitchen, laundry, dining room and a guest room. Upstairs there were several bedrooms and a large library/study. They went upstairs once more and threw a trap door, into the attic to reveal Aella's room. It was massive, the old attic taking up almost as much room as the whole second floor.

Walls were covered in shelves full of books and pictures. One end of the room had a large desk, sofa and a standalone white board covered in notes. The other end of the room held possible the biggest bed Rodney had ever seen, a round thing built low to the ground. Aella just shrugged when he starred at it.

"What my wings take up a lot of space when I sleep."

"So you this isn't what you really look like then?" Rodney knew it was a touchy subject talking about someone's true form unless you were family, well he technically was but it was still a touchy subject.

Aella fidgeted with something from one of the shelves before taking a deep breath.

"Did you want to see?"

"Only if you want to show me." Aella nodded her head before pulling off the flannelette shirt and then her jeans. She stood in her underwear looking nervous. She then took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The air around her seemed to shimmer as she blurred, markings started appear as if drawn on her skin starting over her heart, whirls of red, black and blue started top spread like ink. Around her eyes small marks appeared, he wasn't sure if they small scales or just the marks of them.

Her finger nails grew from the short, obviously bitten human nails to claw like things almost an inch long. What really drew his attention were the ridiculously large wings that suddenly burst from her back. Aella sighed as if a great pressure had been released as she rolled her shoulders. They were mostly made up of dark red feathers, but here and there feathers of silver and blue black appeared. He stood starring at her.

After a few moments she opened one eye revealing cat slit eyes just like her mother's except they were a brilliant deep blue. Her tail, covered in red fur that matched her hair twitched as she waited for him to say or do something.

Rodney had nothing to say, again very much not like him.

"Well you certainly take after your mother." Aella barked out a laugh before rolling her eyes. She went to her closet and pulled out a wrap skirt leaving herself in natural form. She went to another shelf pulling off what looked like a photo album and a touch screen tablet. She perched on the edge of the couch handing them to him.

"Mum started these when I was born, she thought you might like to see them someday."

"What are they?"

"Photo's, movie letters to you."

"Um…"

"Oh god I am not going to be in the room when you look at those, it's embarrassing enough they exist." Rodney was surprised at how much these items meant to him. He flicked to the first page of the photo album to see an image of him holding Aella, he hadn't even realised it had been taken. He had been so mad at Cora but now that seemed to be fading a little after everything she had still made sure he was a part of their lives.

"Aella?"

"Mmmm?"

"Where's your mother?"

The rest of the day had gone relatively well. The incident with the horse was never to be mentioned again.

Aella had a remarkable amount of patience and all of Rodney's grumbling and insults had just rolled right off her. It was now five in the afternoon and Aella had teleported them to Hunter's headquarters. After much argument, all of which Rodney couldn't understand, and Aella pulling a knife on one of the guards who tried to hold Rodney back they were now in the medical section.

Iah was waiting for them and made sure they had no further problems.

"I've heard you don't take no for an answer," she joked kissing Aella's cheek.

"I'm not only a Brand but a McKay, what do you expect." Aella lead him down to the isolation wing where she took a deep breath before keying in a code and giving voice authorisation for the door to open. Even though she had told him Rodney was not prepared for the sight of Cora laid out on a bed, eyes open and blank, instruments around the bed keeping record of her vital signs. There were candles burning on a table to the side and music Rodney vaguely recognised was playing.

"She likes candles," Aella offered in way of explanation before she walked over to the woman and pushing some hair from her face. Cora didn't so much as twitch. Rodney regretted coming here as he looked over the woman he had loved. She wasn't the same Cora, full of life and snark. This woman was thin, wasting away from lying on the bed for five years.

Iah walked passed him and took Cora's hand bowing over it and saying a greeting as if she was awake.

"How much longer?" Aella shrugged.

"They still don't know what happened, but not much longer I expect most don't last more than four years let alone five." Rodney sat on the edge of the bed not touching her but just starring his mind going at a thousand miles per hour. He didn't notice Iah pulling Aella from the room until the door closed. With a shaky breath he reached out and took her hand…

_"Hello Rodney," Cora said with a sad smile. They were standing in the living room of his old apartment that they had shared._

_"What the…"_

_"It's not real obviously we are in my head… or maybe I'm in yours I'm not sure."_

_"Cora…"_

_"I don't have long, I've been waiting, trying so hard to hang on long enough for you to show up Aella to come of age. How many years has it been?"_

_"Almost five. Why have you had to wait?"_

_"I don't trust my brother Rodney, you remember that yes?"_

_"Of course I do."_

_"When Aella was born he tried to get me to kill her or give her up. He wanted nothing between himself and the family money. Then when he found out everything was given to me he lost it. I'm sure he is Aella's guardian yes?"_

_"Yeah, seems like a bit of an asshole."_

_"As long as I am alive, even in this state he won't hurt her. He needs her to get to the money, which I am sure he already has started funnelling into his own projects."_

_"What does that have to do with me?"_

_"There is a stipulation in my will that if you have made contact with Aella of your own will and volition everything goes to you if anything happens to her. Jeffrey is cut out of the equation completely. He won't have reason to hurt her after that."_

_"I don't think he could, Aella's a big girl, can take care of herself just like her mother." Cora smiled and stepped forward placing her hand on Rodney's cheek. He could see how tired she was, her hand ice against his skin._

_"She is very much like her father as well."_

_"You did good."_

_"_We_ did good Rodney. Listen there is something else you need to know."_

Rodney opened his eyes to the lights in the room being on full and alarms beeping at him. Aella ran checking to make sure he was ok before running to her mother. It was then he noticed he had slid to the floor.

"Dr McKay are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine," he said gruffly getting up and pushing the nurse away. He took Cora's hand again and leant down giving her a kiss.

"I'll remember," he whispered before leaving the room. He waited outside for over an hour as they did what needed to be done. Someone had brought his a chair and something to eat when they realised he wasn't moving from the corridor until Aella came out.

Eventually she walked out, she had obviously been crying and she looked lost. Rodney didn't even think he just got up and wrapped his arms around his daughter holding tightly as she started crying again. Iah appeared leading them out of the medical centre and through back halls until they arrived at a small apartment. Rodney had glared at several people who looked at them oddly as they passed in the halls.

He was a little worried that Aella hadn't said anything and an hour later she had cried herself out and was asleep on the couch. He called Iah again and moments later she back in the apartment. They had a lot to do, as soon as the funeral was over Rodney was taking his daughter to Atlantis, he had a promise to keep.


	4. Chapter 4 - meeting the team

Rodney groaned as he opened his eyes. Talk about a hangover, the Ancient's really needed to label their experiments better that one was to close. He turned his head to see John in his usual chair, head on his chest as he slept. Rodney was fairly sure that chair had a permanent imprint of the Colonels ass.

"Back with us I see lad," Carson said coming up next to the bed and pulling the dreaded pen light from his pocket.

"Seriously that thing is just used to torture us isn't it? What can you really tell from looking in someone's eyes anyway? Bloody voodoo." Rodney complained in full McKay mode.

"Well you're obviously feeling better then." John said rubbing the stiffness out of his neck.

"Yes thank you for that observation Colonel crazy hair."

"What is it with you and my hair?"

Rodney just rolled his eyes as he sat up and got comfortable again. Carson made a few notes before smiling.

"It looks like you are in fact back to normal Rodney, although by all rights I should use one of my biggest needles on you for the voodoo comment." Carson gave him the look that always made Rodney want to cower under the bed.

"But you won't will you?"

"No lad," he began placing his hand on Rodney's shoulder and squeezing gently, "I'm just glad you're back with us." Rodney gave a small smile as Carson walked off. John sat forward expectantly starring at his friend.

"What?"

"Who's Cora?'

Rodney blinked at the Colonel as a face flashed before him.

"I don't know why?"

"You were calling for her in your sleep, sound like you trying to stop her from leaving." Rodney shook his head trying to think where he had heard the name before.

"Sounds vaguely familiar but I don't know a Cora."

"Whatever you say buddy. You don't want to tell me that's fine." John patted him on the shoulder before standing up and making his way out of the infirmary.

"Seriously I have no idea!" Rodney yelled after him glaring at the man's back.

Rodney was curled up on his bed reading one of the latest scientific journals to make it through the gate, scoffing at the ridiculous ideas people back on earth were getting paid for.

"Idiots," he muttered to himself before dropping the journal on the floor next to his bed and thinking the lights off. He got comfortable pulling the blanket up to his chin before letting out a content sigh and quickly drifting off to sleep.

_"Rodney stop it," she giggled as Rodney nuzzled her neck from behind, his hands reaching around to tug at the hem of her t-shirt. He slowly inched his hands up under the fabric and laid his hands on her stomach, caressing the slight bump that was forming._

_"I don't want to," he murmured nibbling along her neck as she tilted her head to the side giving him better access despite her arguing._

_"I thought you had work to do. Your thesis wont write itself you know."_

_"I'm already two months ahead of schedule," he began inching his hands further up to caress the skin just below her bra, "I have plenty of time to finish it and still have it in early." He pulled her back so her body was flush with his own and smile as she let out a small moan. _

_Rodney chuckled as she dropped the pieces of what appeared to be some sort of advanced tech that he was really not meant to be looking at, before spinning around and dragging him into a sizzling kiss. It was his turn to moan as her teeth grazed his lower lip. _

His brain stuttered for a moment, her teeth felt a lot sharper than they should. Part of Rodney's mind shrugged and told the other part to shut up and enjoy the dream.

_"You are going to be the death of me," she whispered pulling back and looking at him lovingly with bright green eyes, eyes that had no white and were a lot like a cats._

Rodney sat bolt upright in bed as he gasped out Cora's name. Suddenly bits and pieces of memory started coming back to him as he held his head in his hands and groaned as it felt like his head was splitting open. Another memory became perfectly clear and forced itself forward.

_"We can't do this Rodney." Cora yelled pacing between the coffee table and the couch. At this point she was obviously pregnant, easily seven to eight months and almost ready to pop at any moment._

_"Why not? Why can't we be together?"_

_"Do you have any idea what will happen when they find out this child is yours? Humans are not meant to know we exist Rodney, not without being cleared by the council first. I should never have told you!"_

_"What are they going to do Cora glare at me to death. People will notice if I go missing."_

_"Are you really that arrogant Rodney, you won't go missing, there will be an accident!"_

_"I'm willing to take that chance, we can keep this secret they don't need to know that I know." Rodney stepped around the couch and wrapped his arms around her._

_"I can't walk away from the two of you," he whispered flinching as her tail smacked into him in her agitation._

_"They won't just come after you Rodney." He pulled back and looked her in the face._

_"They will take her away," she said looking down at her stomach, "If they don't just kill her outright."_

_"What! Why would they kill her?"_

_"She may ask questions when she gets older, if they decide she is too big a risk they will get rid of her. Either way she will be taken from me and raised as an orphan, I will be either imprisoned or executed for treason."_

_"You've told me the laws they can't do that."_

_"The current council is paranoid of all its hunters Rodney, the slightest hint of any of us going rogue and they lock us down. I have power and political pull in both the human and non-human world they will think me too big a risk."_

_He thought for a moment pulling her closer, trying to be careful of the little one growing inside. Despite everything he smiled when he felt the baby kick, protesting being squished._

_"So what do we do? Not like they haven't noticed you're pregnant."_

_Cora bit her lip and looked uncomfortable._

_"What?"_

_"They wouldn't have a problem if you knew nothing about us."_

_"Ok, I can act."_

_"Rodney the minute they find out the little one if yours they will do a scan. You can't lie to a telepath."_

_"Then what…"_

_"I make you forget."_

_"What!"_

_"After I give birth I block all your memories of us."_

_"No! Absolutely not!" Rodney yelled as he started his pacing._

_"Rodney there is no other way."_

_"I can't lose you," whispered before leaving the room ignoring her calls._

He shook his head and made it to the bathroom turning the shower on nice and hot trying to calm his ragged breathing. He got in and leant against the wall as another memory washed over him.

_Cora lay on the bed, sweat pouring off her as she gritted her teeth, wings fluttering as she rode out another contraction. Rodney hovered next to her with a cloth wiping her down now and again, She wouldn't let him hold her hand afraid she was going to break it, or maybe set him on fire._

_The midwife was murmuring reassurances to her in another language as she checked the progress. Suddenly after two hours it was time. Rodney kept talking not sure what he was saying until with a final scream/roar their little one was in the hands of the midwife. She fussed for a few moments while Rodney tried to get a look at the baby. He stopped when he realised Cora was trying to get his attention and quickly helped her get comfortable before the midwife place the baby bundled in a blanket in Cora's arms. She bowed low and left quietly with a smile on her face._

_Rodney sat on the edge of the bed and peaked over the blanket looking at the little red person._

_"It's a girl," Cora told him, unwrapping the blanket and checking fingers and toes. The little girl already had a head of dark red hair, as Cora pulled the blanket back further the tops of little wrinkled, featherless wings poking out form her back._

_"She looks like an old person." Rodney blurted out. He felt himself blush as Cora smiled at him._

_"So did you when you were born. It's a little squishy coming out." Cora laughed softly as she ran a finger over the little wings. It was then that the little girl opened her eyes. They were the same brilliant blue that Rodney had, cat slit like her mothers._

_"I wonder what colour they will be later," Rodney mused. He had heard that all babies were born with blue eyes._

_"She's only half human Rodney, we are born with the same eye colour we will have as adults."_

_"Oh." He starred into those blue eyes as their daughter starred back at him. Rodney was far from the hippy type but he could swear she was an old soul. A perfect little fist shot out trying to grasp his nose. Rodney's smile was so large he swore his face was going to split apart, but he didn't care._

_Cora manoeuvred the little one into his arms and he held her terrified he was going to drop her. He wasn't sure how long he sat there holding his little girl but eventually the midwife returned and gently took the girl from him smiling sadly as she walked out the room._

_Rodney made a noise annoyance as he reached out to take her back but was held back by Cora._

_"What are we going to call her?" he asked leaning over and giving her a kiss. _

_"Aella, it means whirlwind." Rodney rolls the name around in his mind a few times._

_"Aella, I like it."_

_Cora smiles sadly, similar to the smile the midwife had given him._

_"What's wrong?" She closed her eyes obviously trying to hold back tears. Rodney pulled her until her head rested in the crook of his neck and her wrapped his arms around her gently rocking her._

_"Ssshhh baby, ssshhh," he whispered again and again._

_"I'm sorry Rodney, I'm so sorry." She reached up and placed her hands on either side of his face. Before he could ask why she was sorry he felt the world go fuzzy._

_No! He shouted out in his mind as he felt himself beginning to forget. She held on tight as he tried to fight her off. Aella was the last thing he thought as the world went black._

Rodney jumped out of the shower and quickly dried off throwing on the first clothes he could find before running out of his room and down the hall to John's room. He walked right in, as usual John hadn't locked his door.

Rodney walked right up and started shaking John awake.

"What!" The colonel came awake instantly and nearly took Rodney's head off.

"For Christ sake McKay don't do that!" he yelled rubbing his eyes.

"What's the matter? We being invaded again?" John reached for his radio, but Rodney grabbed his hand.

"I know who Cora is!"

John just looked at him.

"Huh."

"You said I was calling out for Cora after the near death ascension thing. I remember who Cora is."

"Good for you buddy."

"John you don't understand the reason I didn't remember her was because the memories were locked away."

"What?" John asked, "Rodney seriously go back to bed you are making no sense."

"Cora Brand, I met her nearly eighteen years ago. We fell in love and then I accidently found out she wasn't human. We hide that I knew until she kinda got pregnant and then the Council wouldn't approve disclosing things to me but they didn't know that I already knew so after Aella was born she took my memories to stop them from killing me and taking Aella away."

"Rodney, breathe!" John yelled. Rodney took a deep breath and repeated himself more slowly.

"Buddy that sounds like a really out there story," John put up a hand to stop Rodney from defending himself, "But it is you we are talking about. If this shit was going to be real it would involve you." Rodney sighed in relief realising that John believed him.

"I'm guessing the whole nearly ascended thing undid whatever she did. I don't remember everything I keep getting flashes. I do remember us having the argument about erasing my memory and then I remember Aella being born and that was the last memory I have of them. I think that was when she did her thing with my brain… Oh my god I she could have caused brain damage, I could have forgotten a revolutionary proof that I discovered while with her, I could have…"

"Rodney, breathe." John said again as Rodney began to rant gesturing wildly almost hitting John and giving him a concussion.

"What do you want to do? I doubt she is in the phone book."

Rodney deflated.

"I don't know but I have a daughter and I want to find her."

"And this council? What do you think they will do?"

Rodney's shoulders drooped. "I don't know." He said quietly. If he went looking for Aella they might kill him, or Cora and then were would their daughter be.

"The council changes every fifteen years, this one might not be as paranoid."

"And how are you going to explain to everyone that your daughter, if you find her, isn't human and then what you going to bring her and Cora here?"

"One they can look human and two," he smacked John over the head, "Stop being so practical."

"Ow." John rubbed the back of his head.

"So…." John began getting himself out of bed and reaching for his pants, "What's her name?"

"Aella."


	5. Chapter 5 - Marines are fun

Ok this is another filler chapter. I am trying to get her to Atlantis as fast as possible I swear. For those who are following my other stories as well take a deep breath because I will be working on chapters for those very soon.

Still don't own anything other than my OC, if I did the actors would never stop blushing.

* * *

Aella hummed to herself as the elevator descended. She stood in the middle of the group of adults, they had unconsciously formed up protectively around her, including the General. If she hadn't been so amused she would have been annoyed. They finally reached the required level and they poured out of the lift and headed towards the conference room.

Aella smiled when her father kept growling at passing Marines and Airmen who seemed to take a little too much interest in the way she looked. It didn't help that she was dressed like a preppy school girl but she had a reason for that. It had taken threatening to set her father's hair on fire to get him to back down and let her out of the house.

First he had tried to tell her the black and white plaid skirt would mean she was cold, which she countered with the tights would keep her legs warm. Her boots went mid-calf and had a respectable four inch heal on them. Her black jacket came to just above the hem of her skirt and underneath she wore a grey wrap around top and black singlet as well as elbow length black gloves that stuck to her like a second skin.

They finally made it to the conference room where she was introduced to General Landry, SG-1 and Major Paul David from the Pentagon. Aella zoned out a little through most of the meeting, it appeared that she was to get little say in anything so she kept her mouth shut. She spent most of the time doodling equations on a pad of paper she had stolen from Jack.

She did however pay close attention when Colonel Carter started talking over her father. Rodney normally wouldn't have stood for that she knew, but for some reason he let it go without comment. They had moved from discussing her situation to things that would be needed by the Atlantis expedition. No one else seemed to be surprised by her actions. Rodney was saying that they at least one more naquada generator if not two to open up some more of the labs when Carter once again talked over him.

"I believe my father was speaking Colonel Carter, you would do well to stop acting like a jealous child and let him speak his piece." Aella said putting down her pen and giving the Colonel a calm blank stare.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me Colonel Carter. Throughout the course of this meeting you insist on speaking over my father and trying in every way you can to make him look intellectually inferior to you. Which we know for a fact is not the case, quite the opposite in fact. I find it hard to believe that the people at this table stand for such behaviour in one of your rank especially given that you have little to no knowledge of the situation in Pegasus, you haven't worked on the Atlantis systems and are vastly underqualified to give input on those matters.

Since no one else at this table seems to have a problem with you acting like a petulant teenager I can only assume this your normal behaviour and they look the other way or have not noticed it due to the fact you've saved the world a few times." The table was silent as everyone starred at her.

"How dare you," the Colonel started as she rose from her seat. Aella leant back in her chair and looked at the Colonel with an expression of bored disdain.

"I can only assume that you are either threatened by him in some way or at some point you were on opposite sides of a problem and you came out on top. I would also guess that your success saved a life, perhaps of someone at this table and due to this my father, in combination with his attitude lost most of the respect of you all. I would think that after everything that has happened in Pegasus and the fact he is chief scientific officer of an entire _city_ he would be deserving of more respect."

General Landry was looking highly uncomfortable as was General O'Neill who sat next to her. She maintained eye contact with the Colonel who was still seething trying to find something to say. She felt a great deal of amusement coming from all of SGA-1, especially Teyla who Aella has a feeling was wanting to say something herself but unsure if it was wise.

"It's not worth it," Rodney whispered leaning over towards her.

"Yes it is. I will not sit here and listen to someone with less of an IQ than my _dog_ undermine your every sentence."

O'neill stood up quickly and clapped his hands.

"Ok I think we should break for a while. Don't you agree Landry?"

"Of course Jack. A break sounds like a good idea." Aella smiled sweetly as Colonel Carter turned on her heal and stormed out of the room. She received an odd look Colonel Mitchell as he followed her out. She rose gracefully and turned to follow her father from the room when Dr. Jackson reached out and snagged her arm. He twitched but held back a hiss as he grabbed her about the glove on bare skin, since she had left her coat her father's on base room. She looked down at his hand and he pulled back muttering a distracted apology.

"Could I steal you for a moment I have something I'd like you to take a look at."

"Look I don't…" Rodney started.

"Of course Dr Jackson." Aella responded with a smile. She gave her father a kiss on the cheek.

"It's fine, you go to do what you have to do." She shooed him out of the room in front of her. They split up as she followed Daniel to his office, she sighed and rolled her eyes when she realised that Ronon and Teal'c had followed them.

"I think they're worried we are going to kill each other." Daniel smiled at that.

"Yes they do tend to get a little overprotective."

"Well if you stopped dying so much."

"How did you know about that?"

"Jack made a back hand comment last night about you keep coming back to life."

They entered his office and Daniel pottered around trying to find the photos he wanted help with. On a chalk board was a series of translations that Aella immediately recognised as wrong. She waited patiently until her fingers were itching to correct it. Finally she snapped and rustled around on his desk till she found the chalk. She went to the board and started correcting the translation ignoring Daniel's jaw hitting the ground. He came up behind her but instead of yelling at her as she expected he started asking excited questions and fairly soon he had pulled up another board and Aella set to work showing him the errors and why he had made them.

Ronon turned to Teal'c with a sigh.

"They're going to be a while aren't they?'

"Indeed."

"Want to sparr?"

Teal'c inclined his head and they quietly left their two charges to finish geeking out.

Three hours later, three boards and two notebooks later Aella's stomach gave a loud rumble. She looked down at it and sighed.

"That sounded like an order to eat," she joked.

"Huh?" Daniel asked looking up from the papers strewn across his desk.

"We missed lunch, my stomach just made its demands known."

"Oh right," he assembled the papers into an order only he understood before standing and pulling his fatigue shirt back on.

"Commissary it is then."

They were about half way there when one of the passing Marines let out a wolf whistle. Aella stopped in her tracks and turned to face the young man. He couldn't have been more than twenty, obviously new to the base. His comrades looked a little nervous, they had heard she was McKay's daughter and one wanted to mess with him, especially seeing as they were staying with general O'Neill.

She smiled sweetly at the man as she stepped up to him.

"Something you want to say sweet cheeks?"

"Yeah, you look hot."

She smiled and battered her eye lashes as she leant in to whisper in his ear.

"Firstly I have two words for you darling 'Jail Bait' and secondly…" she swiftly brought her knee up into his stomach and the man doubled over with an audible oomph.

"Be careful who you whistle at, some of us are a hell of a lot more than we appear." When he straightened back up to say something to her he noticed that she had let her eyes shift. He swallowed loudly.

"Now you are going to apologise for being rude or I'm going to eat you, and not in a way you are going to enjoy." The marine stuttered out an passable apology before she patted him on the cheek and turned to Daniel who was trying very hard not to laugh.

He held his arm out and they continued to the commissary.

"You probably shouldn't have done that."

"He's lucky, I promised to behave myself."

"You really are your father's daughter aren't you."

"Naw Daniel you say the nicest things." She hung of his arm and battered her eyelashes at him earning her laugh and a shake of his head. The chow line was short and when they reached the first lot of hot food she noticed that everything with citrus in it had been labelled.

"Let me guess," she said to the server, "you're trying to avoid the wrath of McKay." The man just smiled and nodded. They collected their food and drinks before heading over to the table her father was sat at. He had his laptop out and was typing away furiously. Aella sat next to him and peaked over his shoulder. She watched for a moment as code flew by.

"The problems not in the coding."

"Huh?"

"The problem isn't the coding, if this for what I think it is you need to reinforce or replace the relays leading from the power source and reinforcing the shielding around it wouldn't hurt either. They only last for about a hundred years before they start to degrade. So the problem isn't the interface coding it's the tech itself." Her father blinked at her for a second before grabbing his laptop and rushing out of the commissary.

"You're welcome!"

"Yes, yes of course thank you." He shouted back. She turned to her food to find Daniel watching her, she could practically hear the cogs turning.

"What?" she asked pulling off her gloves.

"Anything you don't know?"

"Synchronised swimming completely eludes me." Daniel snorted some of his coffee as she smiled. They enjoyed a companionable silence before Teal'c and Ronon joined them at the table. Ronon immediately reached out to grab one of potatoes and was met by a loud hiss/growl and his hand being wrapped particularly hard with her butter knife.

"Hey!"

"Rule one cave man. Keep your sticky fingers to yourself. Next time I will take a chunk out of your hand." She growled. People from the surrounding tables turned to look at them. Ronon held her gaze for a moment before holding up his hands in surrender.

"Sorry." Aella turned back to her food but a few moments later she flicked the potato onto his plate.

"The only one you're getting." Ronon chuckled attacking his food. Aella pushed his fork and napkin closer to him hoping he'd get the hint. She had a feeling Tayla did that a lot because he took it without comment. Teal'c was staring at her intently at her when she looked up. She held put her head in her hand and stared right back.

"Something wrong T?" General O'Neill asked as he joined them.

"No O'Neill there is not." He then returned his eyes to his food.

"You causing trouble Aella?"

"No I've been perfectly behaved."

"Really? So you didn't knee a marine in the gut?"

"Yep, lucky it wasn't lower."

"That doesn't count as behaving yourself."

"I was making a point."

"What point all the guy did was whistle at you."

"My point was that regardless of how I have dressed or may act, they should be careful on to jump to conclusions. He jumped to the conclusion that I was pretty much nothing more than eye candy. I made sure that he understands that not all is at it appears.

I was going to ask if I could go down to the gym later and give some of your men an education."

"You think they are in need of a education."

"Well obviously they are still making assumptions based on very little data. Besides I'm not turning down a chance to beat a room full of marines, I have a lot of tension to work out from the last week."

"I am instructing a group after lunch Aella McKay, you are welcome to join me for their instruction."

"Why thank you Teal'c sounds perfect."

"McKay's not going to like you fighting," Ronon said around his food.

"No my father is well aware I have training, he'll be fine with it unless I actually have a visible bruises and I am smart enough to hide those. It is Colonel Shepherd who is going to have a coronary about my fighting. He'd better get over it because I am not living for however long in the middle of nowhere with no one to spar with."

After lunch they made their way to the gym, even Daniel decided to tag along. General O'Neill has said he was in need of a good laugh and they had sat down on the benches towards one of the walls. Teal'c had gone straight into instruction mode pairing marines off with each other and correcting them where needed.

This group were new intakes; none of them had gone through the gate yet and most looked on in awe as Teal'c was the first alien they had ever met. Aella watched in amusement as she got several sideways glances. Several of the men looking admiringly over her, especially as she had sat with her legs crossed. She talked with Daniela and the General making sure to giggle and act like someone her age.

Eventually Teal'c called a halt and waived her over. She bounced up to stand next to him with a big grin.

"Afternoon boys and girls!"

The marines returned her greeting.

"I'm here today to help with your education." There was a snort from the back of the group. She pointed to the perpetrator.

"Something you want to say…"

"Corporal Samson."

"Something you want to say Cpl Samson?"

"Just wondering how a little girl like you is going to teach us anything?" Aella smiled and crooked her finger getting the marine to come and stand in front. He was a typical farm bred boy by the look of him, blonde hair, blue eyes and shoulders that didn't quit.

"Well looks like you just volunteered." The Cpl rolled his eyes and stood on the mat as instructed waiting as Aella stripped off her shoes and tied her back in a ponytail. It was then that several offices and her father walked in and joined Daniel and the Jack on the benches. It would appear that word had gotten out that Rodney's daughter was going to _try_ and neat up some marines.

Aella leant over and gave her father a kiss on the cheek before walking to the mat. She heard several of the officers placing bets among themselves and her father taking those bets with a smug look.

"Now what do you see when you look at me Cpl?" Samson looked nervously over at the benches.

"Ignore them, I want an honest answer please."

"Well there's not much to ya, would probably get swept away by a stiff breeze. Your clothes would also suggest you either from money or you want to be."

"True my family does have more money than God. What about my skills at defending myself?"

"Doubt you have more than a few basics." His southern drawl was really starting to annoy her. The boy still seemed extremely smug, Aella hated un earned smugness.

"Alright then, attack me."

"Pardon?"

"You heard me Cpl, I want you to attack me and don't hold back."

The Cpl looked her over, she stood normally not obviously ready to defend herself in anyway and with a shrug the Cpl took a swing at her. Aella easily dodge him.

"Sometime today Cpl." He shrugged again before going for it. The look of surprise on his face when ten seconds later he was pinned to the ground.

"Why don't we try that again and this time don't hold back." She said sweetly letting the marine up. This time he really did try but lasted no longer than before. Rodney let out a whoop form the sidelines as he collected his winnings.

"Do you mind, I'm trying to beat a lesson into some jar heads." Aella snarked at her father, he just smiled at her and crossed his arms. She let the Cpl up and pushed him back the group rubbing his shoulder.

"Now I may not have been briefed as much as the rest of you on the SGC but I do know that when dealing with the Goa'uld they could take anyone, from a small child to and old woman as host. Regardless of the host they will be stronger than you. So here is lesson one which you should already have understood, appearances can be deceiving and in this job most are not what they seem. Now next question am I human?"

"Well yeah." One of the marines from the front this time offered in a thick New York accent.

"Why is that?" Aella asked as she stripped off her wrap top leaving herself in just the singlet top, tights and skirt, which she then readjusted to sit a bit lower. She threw the top into her father's face with a smile.

"Well Jaffa have a mark tattoo's on their forehead so they are pretty easy to identify and your shirt rode up early showing you had a smooth stomach." Aella motioned for him to continue.

"I know your Dr. McKay's daughter and as far as any of us know he's human. Also you were obviously born before the Stargate was opened by Dr Jackson."

"Those are some fare assumptions; however in my case you're wrong." Aella took a deep breath in and let her human form melt away. She showed everything but the wings, those were private. She reached back and scratched between her shoulder blades, it always itched when she kept her wings in. When she opened her eyes again she was met by wide eyes from all but one of the marines. She had a small smirk on her face which she quickly changed to a blank expression. Aella winked at her making note of her face, she would talk to her later.

Before she could speak again General Landry walked in followed by two others. They all stood starring at her for a moment. Finally he returned the marines salute and made his way over to Jack was sprawled on the bench a big smirk on his face. Even Teal'c appeared to be surprised by her appearance.

Aella extended her claws and stretched her fingers.

"Now who wants to do a threat analysis on me, just by what you can see."

Another marine stepped forward, she held out her hands to let him see the claws and barred her fangs for him. She demonstrated the range of movement from her tail. Once satisfied with what he had said she held up her left hand drawing energy and creating a fireball.

"My appearance alone should not be the end of a threat assessment. You cannot rely too much on your eyes sometimes." She extinguished the fire checking to make sure she hadn't burnt a hole in gloves, "I am telekinetic, pyro kinetic and electrokinetic. My shape shifting abilities go further than making myself appear human, I can mimic voice patterns with near perfect accuracy and am a high ranging empath. I also have some small ability to heal. Basically I am the last thing you want to meet in an alley after dark." This lead to a chuckle.

Aella called for a volunteer and went about showing them a few tricks or taking down an opponent that was faster or stronger than them. By the time they were finished there was a room full of very sore marines and it was almost time for dinner. Aella blew them a kiss as she left the room being dragged out by her father who was muttering things about jarheads and bad influences.

General Landry followed with a dark haired woman who turned out to the base chief medical officer. She started talking about tests and physicals. No one but Ronon seemed to notice that Aella had frozen in her tracks.

"Aella?" Ronon asked standing between her and the Doctor.

"There will be no testing."

"There is nothing to worry about sweetie just a few…"

"I said NO!" the lights flickered at her outburst and Rodney turned to face Dr Lam who was about to object again.

"You heard her. She said no testing."

"She can't pass through the gate without a physical."

"I have no objection to a physical Dr Lam."

"Yes but that also…"

"Does not include the testing that you have in mind, I will under no circumstances allow myself to become a guinea pig to satisfy your curiosity."

"That's not what…"

"Isn't it? I know what my limits are Dr Lam there is no need for them to be tested. The only thing that is any of your business is whether or not I am healthy and potentially carrying anything that could harm others, since my immune system is better than anything you will have had contact with I can guarantee there is nothing for you to _test_." Aella spun on her heal and walked back to the gym barging passed several of the marines and walking into the women's change room.

"Don't mind me," she said to the four women in there. She turned the corner towards the showers and leant against the wall before sinking to the ground. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breathes. Flashes of being tied down to a table and locked in a cage flashed behind her eyes. She forced the images away before opening her eyes to see one of the marines crouched in front of her.

"You ok hun?"

"Fine."

"Ahuh, then why are you hiding in here?"

"Just need a break for a second." The woman sat down next to her and waited.

"Want to talk about it?"

"Only ten minutes ago I was scaring the living shit out of you guys and now you want to talk?"

One of the others laughed as she passed them and entered the shower taking the spot closest to them.

"You may scare us on the mat but you are still a teenage girl. So who do we have to go beat up for you?"

Aella huffed and tried not to smile.

"I think I proved I can take care of myself."

"Yeah but it's nice to let someone else do it once in a while. I'm Tara by the way." The second woman said before she ducked her head under the water.

"I'm Carrie." The first said offering her hand. Aella shook it before leaning her head back against the wall.

"So…" Aella huffed before turning her head to look at Carrie.

"I don't like doctors."

"Ooookkkaaayyyyy."

"Doctor Lam would like nothing more than to get me in her infirmary for some _tests_."

"Well it is part of being in the SGC we all get tested for stuff."

"Not the same kind of tests."

Carrie raised an eyebrow Aella looked at her and let her eyes shift from one form to another.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Well that is to be expected I suppose."

"Sure if I was an unknown life form who had come through the gate. But I'm not, I've lived on this planet my whole life. She has access to my full medical file from the council. My powers are none of her business and I am not going to be subjected to tests like a trained monkey to satisfy her curiosity!"

"Why do I have a feeling there is something more to that?"

Aella starred at a spot on the floor. Carrie nudged her on the shoulder.

"You don't have to tell us but you might want to tell your dad if he doesn't know already." Aella grunted and pulled her knees up to her chest. They sat there while Tara finished her shower and came out wrapped in a towel.

"Isn't your ass getting cold down there?"

Aella got back to her feet and helped Carrie up before wandering to sit on the benches in front of the lockers.

"How long do you think I can hide in here before one of them just comes in here?"

"Depends they might have gone to get Colonel Carter to come get you out."

"You really don't know my father do you?"

Aella's ears perked up when she heard arguing from the other side of the door. She held up her hand counting down from three. When the last finger went down Rodney came walking in his hand overing his eyes.

"Not looking, not looking, don't beat me up." He said loudly.

"Aella where are you?" She considered playing with him and smiled at the marines who had now quickly finished dressing.

"You can open your eyes Dr McKay." Carrie said sitting down to put on her boots. Rodney carefully lowered his hand to find himself almost right in front of his daughter.

"What the hell was that?"

"That was called a strategic retreat to prevent myself from putting blood on the concrete. Do you know how hard it is to get blood out of concrete?"

Rodney shook his head and sat down next to her.

"Well the witchdoctor has gone back to her cave so we can leave in piece. You do know that at some point on Atlantis you are probably going to have to participate in tests right?"

"That's completely different."

"It is?"

"Yep."

"Ok then can we go now Daniel and O'Neill want to take us out for dinner. Something about staying on your good side."

She waived to the women as she left the change rooms followed by their whistles and comments that made her father blush and hurry her along.


End file.
